Some late night thoughts on the iPhone…
This is only Apple’s second major consumer electronic release and an initial Cingular-exclusive release means that Apple has to support only one network/data plan. If Apple had just sold the phone as is, a zillion people with more money than sense would snap it up, wonder why it didn’t work with Sprint/Verizon/AlfredENewmanTel and then compose two zillion web pages about how Apple’s iPhone sucks it.
A similar situation occurred with the roll-out of the iPod. At first, iPods were Mac-only and only later rolled out to Windows after having gone through a generation of improvement.
My gut tells me that Apple will open iPhones up to any carrier with iPhone rev. 2. My gut also wants an iPhone, but not enough to compromise my current set-up with an unlocked Nokia 6682 (works anywhere! use any SIM card!) and T-Mobile’s service.